FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2016

Contact:

Chuck Denowh: 239-5952

New polling shows overwhelming majority of Montana voters support Marsy’s Law

CI-116, Marsy’s Law, enjoys a 75% to 12% margin

(Helena, Mont.)—A vast majority of Montana voters support adding a Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights to the Montana Constitution, according to polling released today. CI-116, known as Marsy’s Law for Montana, would empower crime victims by establishing new Constitutional rights to ensure that they are kept informed of and involved in the criminal justice process. If enacted, CI-116 would make Montana the 33rd state to add rights for crime victims that are on an equal level with the rights of persons accused or convicted of crimes.

“We’re encouraged by these poll results,” said Chuck Denowh, State Director of Marsy’s Law for Montana. “It goes to show that the more Montanans learn about this important issue, the more likely they are to support it. The idea really resonates with voters that it is time in our state to give victims of crime the same type of Constitutional protections as their offenders.”

The poll, conducted by the respected Moore Information research firm, revealed that Montana voters support Marsy’s law by a 75% to 12% margin. That spread increased to 79% to 13% after respondents heard a series of arguments for and against the measure. 

Marsy’s Law for Montana qualified for the November ballot after turning in over 55,000 valid signatures from Montana voters.

Marsy’s Law is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Ann Nicholas, a college student who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983.  Only a week after Marsy’s murder, her mother Marcella and brother Henry walked into a grocery store after visiting her daughter’s grave and were confronted by the accused murderer. They had no idea that he had been released on bail.

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MT-Polling-Memo-July-2016